Month: February 2011

Soup Basics

I love soup!  Nothing makes me feel more comforted than a nice homemade soup.  From a traditional tomato to French Onion to Tom Yum there is something so special about having soup. 

Here are some of the most popular types of soup:

Bisque: A classic French soup with a rich, creamy texture.  It is usually made from shellfish and thickened with rice. 

Broth: A flavorful liquid made from simmered meat, fish, poultry and or vegetables.

Chowder:  Hearty and chunky, this soup is chockfull of fish, shellfish and/or vegetables.  Clam chowder has been popular in New England since colonial times. 

Consommé:  Broth that has been clarified into a crystal-clear liquid.

Gumbo:  One of the signature dishes of Cajun cooking, gumbo is a thick soup that can contain chicken, duck, seafood or ham and vegetables such as tomatoes, onion, bell peppers and celery.  It is thickened with a roux (a browned butter and flour mixture), okra and/or file´ (ground sassafras leaves) and is served over white rice.

Stock:  Similar to broth but made from bones, often roasted, that are simmered with water and/or vegetables.

Tofu Basics

Tofu, also known as bean curd, is a good source of protein, phytochemicals (chemical compounds that occur naturally in plants) and isoflavonoids (group of biologically active phytochemicals.  Additionally, it has not cholesterol.  Making tofu is similar to making simple cheeses (pressed curd tofu) or yogurt (silken tofu).

Before cooking tofu, drain, slice or cube it and blot with paper towels to remove excess water.  This allows more room for marinades to be absorbed and will help prevent spattering. 

Each tofu has its best use.  Here is a quick reference to check before you buy:

*Extra-Firm: Ideal for when you ant tofu that won’t fall apart or if you want

 Break it into crumbles.

*Firm:  All-purpose tofu, strong enough to withstand frying and sautéing.  It

Retains some delicacy that extra-firm tofu lacks.

*Flavored:  Marinated, ready to use and available in a variety of flavors.

*Silken:  Sold in shelf-stable packages; add to salads, puree for salad

Dressings and smoothies or scrambles with eggs.

*Soft:  Delicate custard like texture, which makes it a perfect choice for

Salads, smoothies, baked goods, sauces and dips.

Marsala Wine

Marsala, Italy’s most famous fortified wine is produced by a process similar to the one used in Spain to make sherry.  Marsala is made in several different styles: 

*Secco – Dry

*Semisecco – Semisweet

*Dolce – Sweet

It is also classified based on its flavor characteristics and aging. 

*Fine – Usually aged less than 1 year

*Superiore – Aged at least 2 years

*Superiore Riserva – Aged at least 4 years

*Vergine e/o Soleras – Aged at least 5 years

*Vergine e/o Soleras Stravecchio or Vergine e/o Solveras Riserva – Aged at

  least 10 years

How To Pit An Olive

You can buy pitted olives, but I think unpitted olives are more flavorful and it is very easy to pit them.  Simply place the olives on a cutting board.  With the bottom of a small heavy saucepan, a rolling pin or the flat side of a large chef’s knife, press down hard on the olives, one at a time, to split them open.  Lift out the pits with your fingers and discard.

Know Your Chicken

Broiler-Fryers: Tender young birds that usually weigh 3 to 5 pounds.  They can be roasted, fried, sautéed, grilled or broiled.

Roasters: Meaty birds that usually weight 6 to 8 pounds and are best when roasted.

Cornish Hens: Small birds that weigh up to 2 pounds each.  They are tasty grilled, broiled and roasted. 

Fowl: Also called stewing hens.  These tough older birds are available especially around the holidays.  They are always braised or stewed and make the best chicken stock.

Capons: Neutered male chickens that weigh 8 to 10 pounds on average.  They are very meaty and tender and are usually roasted. 

Poultry Shopping

Organic: The term organic has legal weight and the USDA enforces it. 100 % of the feed (except maybe for mineral supplements) must be certified organic which means that is has been grown in a field that has not seen chemical fertilizers, fungicides, herbicides or genetically modified organisms for at least three years.  Certain husbandry techniques are prohibited in organic production.  Since antibiotics are not allowed at all, chickens can’t be contained in the wing to wing density that conventional producers use (with that cramming it would be impossible to keep disease at bay without drugs).  By law, organic chicken also has to be “free range.”

Free Range: These birds have been raised in an environment that provides access to open spaces, but not necessarily an open farmyard.  This free movement allows them to develop more muscle which contributes to fuller flavored meat. Free range does have an official definition: “Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside.”

All Natural: This simply means that poultry has been minimally processed.  Its feed was not necessarily organic and might have contained antibiotics. 

Kosher: Kosher birds have been processed according to Kosher dietary laws under the strict supervision of a rabbi.  The procedure includes salting to draw out the blood and season the meat.

Halal: If you live in an area that has a Muslim community, there is probably a Halal butcher.  These birds are not fed hormones and are slaughtered manually while a special prayer is recited.